Ukraine: Snooker prodigy Iulian Boiko proud of stars taking up arms

4 March 2022

News image — Iulian Boiko is to leave Sheffield for Turkey and his next competition in a few days.

PA Media Iulian Boiko — Iulian Boiko is to leave Sheffield for Turkey and his next competition in a few days.

A teenage Ukrainian snooker player has spoken of his deep sense of pride in his country's sports stars who have taken up arms against Russia.

Iulian Boiko, 16, from the embattled country's capital Kyiv, trains at the Victoria Snooker Academy in Sheffield.

Former world heavyweight Vitali Klitschko, his brother Wladimir, and boxing champions Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk have joined the fight.

Boiko said: "It's impossible not to be proud because they are amazing."

The young professional said he would swap his snooker cue for a gun and join the fight against Russia if he was old enough.

"I'm really proud of all the soldiers, all of the Ukrainian army, including Usyk and top boxers, including football players, and players from all sports," he said.

"All of the professional sportsmen, most of them are fighting now for our country.

"If I was a bit older I would do they same. The only way to destroy the enemy is for everyone to unite and stand as one."

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Damage in the Kyiv region after missle attack - images released on 24 February — Boiko has friends in the war zone who he hoped were safe, he said.

Boiko, whose mother and father have been safely reunited in Poland after fleeing Ukraine, has been taking part in the Welsh Open, losing in the second round.

He said it had been tough to retain his focus while his home city was under attack.

"But for me the only way to cheer people up a little bit is just to continue playing and doing what I do best," he said.

"I'm trying to work as hard as I can to focus, as much as is possible during these times, on snooker."

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Boiko has been based in Sheffield for about six weeks and was due to fly back home at the season's end but "because of the circumstances, I think I will be based here long-term", he said.

He is staying in the city with his coach, Tom Limor and Sergiy Isaenko, a friend and fellow snooker player, but says he still thinks of home.

"I have a few friends who are in the heated zones of the war, so yeah it's really tough," he said.

"I just hope everyone is safe."